[Kymmie67]

I'm set for surgery. April 16, 2013! Had my pre-op appt today. the surgeon is going to use general anesthesia. It will be St. Jude paddle.
He actually said the first week was going to be hell! I'm getting nervous! He has to cut bone...oh my!
I want to be ready for recovery. I want to be as comfortable as possible. I think, from what I've read, that I'll want to practically live in a recliner for a while.

This is the chair that kind of reclines, that I bought when I had shoulder surgery.



Will this be sufficient/comfortable enough? There's not a lot of padding and it doesn't recline all the way.

This is all the way reclined. Is it enough?



Should i see if i can borrow something? I was somewhat uncomfortable with the trial, so I can imagine what the permanent will be like!

Any other suggestions for recovery? I'm so scared of the pain!
Thank you!

[tkayewade]

Mine is similar and it works. I also have 2 st. Jude stimulators. They have 20 electrode paddles which is awesome. It's been 2 weeks today for me and I'm finally in bed, but still hard to get comfy. Anyway, my cervical stim paddle covers C1-4 and I get great coverage for both arms. Anyway, I hope everything goes great for you. st. Jude reps are amazing.

TK

[Kymmie67]

I appreciate the info. I had a hard time getting comfortable before, so I thought it was the chair. Good to know that'll happen either way!
My CRPS started in my knee, so they'll be placing the paddle to cover T8/T9 area.
I'm really starting to get nervous and it's still three weeks away! I hate thinking I'll have to deal with this pain for three more weeks!

Is there anything else I need in order to prepare?

Thanks all!

[tkayewade]

Well people will come along and make way better posts than me about preparing. Mine other one is at T8/T9 as my rsd started in my right ankle.

I got a grabber. Mark is great about explaining blast (no bending, lifting, stretching, or twisting) and log rolling which is really important.

I kept a box by me that had my kindle, I can't read paper which is why they think I have MS as well. I kept snacks, meds, magazines, water bottle, and other thingsi might do or need.

Unfortunately, this must be talked about. I had to take senna. So much pain meds make things slow down!

Oh and I took my pain meds on schedule. I even set an alarm on my phone. Never want to play catch up. I am recovering from my cervical implant and doing all this lol.

Try to move when you can. I wound up with PEs that formed after surgery due to a fever I developed during surgery. It hurts but it is worth it.

The pain is not horrible. My thoracic was much easier than cervical. The pain is worth it. I hope this helps!!

TK

[pooh_ac]

From my point of view as a long time buzzer. Mark56 has a post in the stickys above. He has documented his entire process from pain multiple surgeries and difficulties we tend to journey through. If you hang around you will note we tend to be a big caring community. Also you will hear (see) BLAST. BLAST BLAST! Mark and the rest of the bunch will be along shortly to greet you! Since I am a nurse not a computer person he will leave you a place where you can go directly to his post
z

[Sandy Kay]

Welcome
I found it painful for about three weeks. After that things were much easier. The first two weeks were really tough. Besides blast I used the grabber all the time. Being short I tried to have things I used daily with in reach.

I never used a recliner, just used my bed and log rolled and remember BLAST.
GOOD LUCK
Sandy Kay

[Kymmie67]

That's a big help, thank you!

I don't have a credit card to order a grabber online, so where's the best place to pick one up? Do they come in different lengths and what is the best length if you were to choose only one?
I'm sorry if all of this has been covered before. I don't have a lot of time or patience to sort through all the threads and usually when I search, it brings up almost as many threads to search through!, so I really appreciate the responses. Or, if its easier, you could just direct me to the thread with the info.

I haven't been able to find senna. Where exactly would I find it?
I use a stool softener, but the bottle says to take two to three at bedtime...well, that's a joke! That does nothing to help me. I take three 3 times a day and that only makes it a little bit easier. So, if senna works better than that, I'm all over it!

I have so many things I'm taking right now, between meds and vitamins, etc, that I have to use a reminder on my phone or I'd never, ever remember what was taken and when! So that's not a problem.

I thought I had a blood clot in my leg after my first knee surgery, so I know that doesn't feel good at all, so I will try to move as much as I can!

Thanks!

[Kymmie67]

Wow...more replies while I was being slow typing! I'll check the sticky!

Thanks!

[pooh_ac]

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread117854.html
z

[Nanc]

Hi Kymmie! Your chair should be fine. I would recommend a few small pillows though, just in case, for extra support where ever you may need it. I lived in my recliner during my recuperations, but never really reclined it all the way (wasn't comfortable doing that). I had both cervical and thoracic stims implanted at the same time and a revision 5 months later. The best item I had is what others have mentioned...a grabber! If you have a Walgreens around you, check there. I bought one online and one at Walgreens...the extra one was for my office at work. It is called The Gopher and was located near the "as seen on TV" section of the store. I would think you could find Senna with the other laxatives, stomach meds in the store.

I will echo what others have said here too...BLAST is EXTREMELY important. Move things you might need to a level you can reach without bending or stretching...I am talking kitchen items, food, toiletries, clothes, etc.

I have to say that I am happy to hear you are getting paddle leads. I have St. Jude stims also, but they put percutaneous leads in at first then had to change them out for the paddle leads (in the thoracic stim)...so much better!

Good luck to you!!
Nanc